Chapter 200 – He Kept Walking

The colossal fire-and-blood snake hissed and swallowed Emrys Stormblessed’s attacks within its depthless maw.

The Chosen One watched the scene with dismay flooding his eyes. He staggered, his sight blurry with fatigue, feeling a deep kind of exhaustion that seemed to come from the soul itself.

He cursed under his breath, realising he was still far too weak to use a Manifestation, and his soul was growing weary under the overwhelming strain.

However, Emrys Stormblessed could not afford to give up.

Cassius was not the only one who wanted to win no matter what. He was not the only one with responsibility, with people who believed in him, with a goal to achieve.

Emrys had his own family to make proud, to show them that all the resources they had spent on him, and all the time spent training him, were not for nothing.

He wanted — oh, only the gods knew how desperately he wanted — to prove to his mother that he was not the monster she claimed he was.

He was her son. And he had what it took to save her.

He had simply been born with power far beyond what he himself wanted, and found himself burdened with the expectations of both the divine and the mortal.

He was exhausted. He was... truly exhausted.

However, he had no choice but to bear all these suffocating expectations and fears for her.

Only for her.

So Emrys Stormblessed gritted his teeth until they literally cracked, and bellowed with all his strength.

His whole essence exploded outward, looking like a storm about to sweep away anything and everything in its path.

The attacks inside the beast’s mouth surged in potency, and Cassius watched as half of his Ultimate Skill exploded in an instant.

His eye widened, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood. His step faltered.

[Cassius!!]

The Last Born gritted his teeth and dug his feet in deep, steadying himself. He did not give up either.

He didn’t know where he found the strength, but in that instant he scraped out every last drop of energy and essence within him and fuelled his Ultimate Skill even further.

His skin grew paler, as if his very blood were being burned as fuel, his eye losing its lustre.

In exchange, the blood serpent hissed dangerously and continued relentlessly toward Emrys Stormblessed, even as its own body was being destroyed from within.

’My Second Blessing!’ Emrys shouted inwardly at the sight of it. ’Let me use my Second Blessing now!’

The Golden Beggar heard his Blessed loud and clear. He could taste Emrys’s desperation to win, how badly he wanted it, and how much it mattered to him.

This was his moment. This was what he had been preparing for since the day he was born.

To be the best. At everything. At anything.

That was what his father had taught him.

The god knew this very well.

However...

[I am sorry, Emrys. Your body cannot bear the Second Blessing yet, and you know that. You will die. And not even that man can resurrect you.]

’But I want — no! I need to win! I need—!’

[Emrys!] the god shouted. [I will not let you die here! Your life is more important than you can imagine! You cannot die! And the Red Moon is coming soon. You will have your glory! But today... today, my blessed, you must endure it! You must...]

The Golden Beggar didn’t finish his words. But he didn’t need to. Emrys Stormblessed understood everything when the serpent finally reached him, its body now less than half of what it had been.

Yet the power radiating from it was enough to make him buckle to the ground, especially when he looked into the beast’s eyes and saw the same sigil of the Desdemona Family forming its pupils.

The Serpent opened its maw wide and hissed with a spirituality that made it seem less like a simple technique.

And more like a living thing.

Then finally it lunged and swallowed the dazed, flabbergasted Emrys into its mouth, before destroying itself, sending a resounding explosion reverberating all around.

A crimson fire burst skyward, then expanded outward across a small area, the sound like a dying hiss.

Cassius dug his feet deep into the earth, trying to stay steady as the shockwaves slammed into him mercilessly.

He groaned, finding himself pushed back despite everything, then coughed up a waterfall of blood.

When the shockwaves finally died down, Cassius was left shaking like a leaf caught in a storm, his head hanging low.

His face was pale, sweating all over. His breathing was ragged and shallow, and Cassius could feel his consciousness slipping from his grasp.

He was at his absolute limit.

But he lifted his head and took a step forward.

The arena was dead silent. The Kingdom was dead silent.

The world itself was silent.

The only sound was the dragging, scraping feet of Cassius Desdemona as he drew closer to where his skill had exploded.

Finally, he arrived, and took in the sight of Emrys Stormblessed, his body burned until charred black, barely breathing.

Blood spluttered continuously from his lips.

The Chosen One’s eyes stared blankly at the sky above, his gaze unfocused, as if unable to truly believe what had just happened.

He... had lost. He, Emrys Stormblessed, the Chosen One as he had been called so many times, had lost.

This time, it was not because of Cassius’s cunning, as in their first encounter at House Amaris.

Nor was it like the Royal Event, where Cassius had been saved by the Head Maid of Hood.

This time, on August 9th, 2333, Emrys Stormblessed tasted his first true defeat since the day he was born.

His blue eyes trembled, then slowly landed on Cassius’s pitiful state. He wanted to say something, but found his throat had been burned away.

The pain was agonising. But pain was the last thing on his mind in that instant.

Unable to speak, Emrys slowly raised his left hand with agonising difficulty, and lifted his index finger.

One.

Cassius, and everyone watching, understood immediately what he meant.

To Emrys, this was Cassius’s first victory over him. And his eyes as he lifted his finger said everything.

It was the first. And the last.

Cassius Desdemona looked at him for a moment, and if he had been able to chuckle, he would have. Instead, he barely nodded, having no strength for anything more.

Then he turned away.

As he did, Emrys’s eyes grew blurry, a lone tear falling down his cheek as he clenched his jaw to swallow a sob. He closed his eyes, trying to endure the pain without losing consciousness.

Cassius, for his part, stopped walking after a couple of metres.

At that point, the remaining participants and spectators were asking the next most important question:

How could Cassius win?

That question was soon answered as Cassius raised his right threaded hand.

’M-My Queen... bless me once more.’

[As... always.]

Ananke answered, and his right hand glowed with a silvery light. He thrust his hand instantly into the space in front of him. The hand passed through, touching the realm of fate itself.

Then, with the authority of the Queen of Fate, his hand was able to grasp something hidden there. He pulled it out immediately with all the strength he had left.

As he did, Theophane Celeste reappeared in the real world, her body limp and weak. She fell instantly to the ground, kneeling before Cassius.

Her face was pale, her celestial eyes bleeding.

The reason Theophane had never wanted to use her Second Skill was now evident in her current state. The skill had consumed every ounce of her energy, leaving her unable to move for a whole day.

Hiding in the folds of fate was never without consequence.

She gritted her teeth and stared into Cassius’s eye, which had reverted to its normal, slitted draconic form.

"Cassius Desdemona." She grated, her eyes a mix of hatred and fear. "I know why I hate you now! You are her Blessed! You are that bitch’s—!"

"My... Key." Cassius cut in, completely uninterested in listening to her. "G-Give me my key."

Theophane glared at the illusory figure of the goddess behind Cassius, her hatred growing, refusing utterly to obey. She seemed willing to do anything to stop him from winning.

She hated him. Or rather, she hated the goddess he worshipped.

So Theophane lifted her head and looked at the other participants still watching. Then, for the first time since her sister left her and her Aspect awakened, Theophane Celeste lost her godly control over her emotions.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? THE TEST IS NOT OVER! YOU CAN WIN!"

They didn’t respond.

Cassius sighed under his breath and looked over her body with his hand to find the key. However, it was not in the usual places.

Theophane looked at him menacingly. "Are you going to touch my body now? You have a wife, don’t you? What would she think, seeing her husband touch a woman’s body in front of everyone?"

Cassius didn’t even respond.

With his goddess’s power still active in his right hand, he used his mastery of chains and the threads attached to his hand to search her body without touching her.

Theophane was utterly outraged, but soon enough, Cassius found his key, hidden in a place he would rather not remember.

He then took his key and Océane’s and placed them inside his mouth, holding them tight.

At that point...

[...C-Cassius.]

Ananke’s illusory figure vanished, and with it, the threaded hands dissipated.

’Thank you... Queen.’

No answer.

’...Q-Queen?’

Lady Ananke no longer had enough GeumGeum to communicate with her Blessed.

And for the first time since they had known each other, Cassius felt the absence of his goddess more deeply than anything. His mind began to crack again, and he felt a deep, seething loneliness inside his soul. It felt as though he had suddenly lost one of his senses.

His feet swayed, his consciousness half-darkened.

Still, Cassius began to walk toward Mount Hivetop, hoping Nafissatou would bring Océane to the top, his feet dragging once more, as if guided by something none could name.

And that was the sight the numerous runic cameras captured for all to see.

Cassius Desdemona — armless, with only one eye that seemed about to close at any moment, his body full of wounds — walked alone with two keys in his mouth.

His own. And his maid’s.

In that instant, as if guided by something, the whole arena rose to its feet. Every watcher in the Kingdom left everything and stood in turn.

In the nobles’ room, Morenna Hood drew a deep breath and rose from her throne, followed soon after by Dantes Hood.

Sefira’s eyes were red with restrained tears, yet as she watched her son walking despite all the pain, she gathered everything within her and stood as well.

Sophia Amaris stood, looking at her son-in-law in a completely new light. Willow Wealth and her son River Wealth stood. Theodora Handoff, Stanley Castria, even Norman Silver...all stood.

They all rose, feeling there was nothing else to do but stand and bear witness to this scene.

Not because it was anything grand.

Not because Cassius Desdemona had done something mythical.

But simply because he had kept walking, and was still walking.

Amid the pain, he kept walking.

Amid the fear, he kept walking.

Confronted by the overwhelming odds of failure... he still kept walking.

Again and again and again, the Last Born of the Desdemona dragged his feet toward the summit of Mount Hivetop.

However, unfortunately, a human’s mind can be like an unmovable mountain, but the human body can fail anyone at the most important moment.

Thus...

Thud!

Cassius Desdemona fell to the ground, kneeling, his body unable to move any longer.

’F-Fuck... fuck...’ he cursed, urging himself to stand, but he couldn’t.

He had spent everything within him.

His eye began to close, and darkness began to swallow his whole mind, the last thing within it a deep bitterness at being unable to finish what he had started.

Then a gust of wind ruffled his hair.

"Stand up, little bastard." Klaus’s voice echoed beside him, to his left.

"A bit more, Cass. Just a bit more." Raven appeared next, taking his right.

The two young men grabbed Cassius by the shoulders and helped him stand.

"H-Huh...?" Cassius muttered, dazed.

"Here." Meadow said curtly, holding a Tier Five Healing Potion. Without hesitation, she took the keys from his mouth and made him drink it.

Cassius’s mind cleared a little, but it was far from enough.

They needed an Apothecary.

Still, it was enough to pull his mind back from the realm of unconsciousness. He looked at those around him, shocked.

"I told you I wanted you to win." Anesthesia grumbled, holding Océane by the neck. "So what are you doing kneeling here? Climb, damn it."

Omm was there, looking at Cassius with eyes full of awe and respect. He took a small towel his mother had given him and gently wiped a little of the blood from Cassius’s face.

"Argh!!!! Cassius, look at you!!" Keisha was crying, wanting to touch him but stopped by a shout from Klaus.

Natalia was there, saying nothing. But her eyes were red, as if she had been crying.

Sarah was there too, holding the unconscious Esmeray, her eyes also in tears at the sight of her master and saviour in such a state.

Cassius looked at all of them, unable to understand what was happening. However, Raven and Klaus gave him no time.

With all the others following, the two young men carried Cassius, while Anesthesia held Océane.

The sight made everyone watching shudder.

They walked until they reached the very foot of Mount Hivetop.

Then, with their combined power, they easily reached the summit without needing to climb at all.

There stood numerous doors of different colours, some of them dull and dark, showing that their owners had already forfeited.

The door of Cassius and Océane was a single one, and it required two keys to open.

Everyone drew a deep breath and looked at Cassius.

"T-This...?" He was speechless, staring at these talented Chosen Ones. "...y-you are helping me?"

"You deserve it." Raven answered simply.

"Let’s avoid any sentimental talk here." Anesthesia added. "And let’s end this."

Raven and Klaus continued their walk, leaving the rest behind, until they reached an inch from the door.

They took both keys and inserted them into place. The door glowed, then opened with a soft hushing sound, revealing a swirling mass of silver essence.

A teleportation portal.

Cassius stood before the door, still unable to fully believe it, his friends behind him.

He turned to look at them, and saw each one looking back, waving their hands at him impatiently.

"Just enter already, man."

"No sentimental shit, I told you!"

"Don’t look at us like that. It’s only because you deserve it. You might be a monster, but the gods be damned if we allow this much of a gap between us. So enjoy your title for now, little bastard!"

"Arghh!!! Cassius’s body is full of wounds! Look at his eye! His hands! Arghhh!"

"Keisha, please, we get it. Shut up now."

Cassius Desdemona fell silent, overwhelmed. Then using his left elbow, he managed to retrieve the keys of Esmeray, Nourou and even Emrys, and handed them over.

Then he nodded toward them, smiling with such a beautiful, genuine smile that all of them cursed, wondering how he could be this beautiful in such a state.

Afterward, he turned his attention back to the portal and drew a deep breath that hurt his lungs.

And so, while the whole arena and Kingdom and all the participants watched him with every kind of emotion at its highest degree, Cassius Desdemona, the Last Born of the Desdemona, took one step forward and...

<Ladies and gentlemen, we have our Winner.>

—End of Chapter 200—